Automatic return-valve for heating apparatus.



PATBNTED JULY 24; me.

as, KmBAL AUTOMATIC RETHRE vans PGR HEATING rm-mus.

APPLIUATIOI PILBD PBS. 8. 1805.

\ \\\SQ\ \\N PATBNTED JULY 24,1905.

, J. H. KmBALY. AUTOMATIC RETURN VALVE F08 HEATING mamas.

APPLIUATIOH FILED $313.3. 1906.

2 SHEETS-BEBE! 2,

mvshrop U M/ r WITHESSES:

ferential pressure, but by the. imgnct of a.

UNITED sTATns JOHN H. KINEALY, OF

n T OFFICE.

or. coins; nissooni.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1906.

Application filed Fabrua 'y 3,1905. Serial No. 243,932.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, John H. Kmnnnnof' the oi t of St. Louis and State of Missouri ,have invented on Im rovement in AHtOIDQiSiG'EG- turn-Valves for Hccting Apparatus, of which the following is n specification. L In modern stemn-heating practice it is usual to remove the on" and water of condensation from tho radiators, heaters, or coils by the maintencn cc of a. lower pressure or onc tion in the returns. It is necessary in such systems that means shall be employed to so control the discliewc of the air and were? of condensation that till? escape of nneondensed steam may be prevented. Automatic motor valves actuated by the differential pr essure on the inlet and outlet sides of the vclvc,'thc creation of which differential is controlled by the conditions, such as the accumulation of water, existing on the inlet side, have heretoforc been successfully used for this purpose but in all such devices the differential pressure was utilized to not directly on e valve controlling reassure-motor and move it in the direction 0 least ressure to open the valve. The operation, t ierefore, was directly dependent upon the amount of diflerentiel pro duced.

While in the present invention I utilize a differential pressure controlled by the conditions existing on the inlet .side of the valve, such diflerential pressure is not employed to act directly u on the pressure-"motor and move it in the irection of least pressure, but is em loyed as the means of impelling'a col umn ormecl of the water of condensctionin the valve-body against the motor, whioh by its impact actuates the motofin the direction of eatest pressure in a manner somewhat similar to the actuation of a. hydraulic ram.

The valve is actuated not by'tho hydro static head or pressure nor clire'ctly ni ciif surging body of water actuated by the differ.- cntml. It may therefore he termed a. hydro-impanfivsive. j I

The valve is not'cnly positive and reliable in its action, but responds very quickly and prevents the accumulation 'of'nny Inntefi ef uantity of water of conensetion'snsinmi t e movement does not depend uponthedirect action of the differential pressure it is m; to produce only that differential re uir to actuate the water column.

n the drawin s, Fi ure 1 is a vertical secclose& to the passage of water of condensation. Fig. S is s. similar view showing the valve opened for the discharge of the water. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line A A of Fig. I with the motor removed; and Fig. 4 is a. vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing another form of the valve.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a is the usual valve-body hoving'cn inlet b and an outlet c, the former lJB- infixconnected" in motion with the radiate or enter and the, otter with the return-pipe; For convenience of construction and to give access to the interior, the body'a is Shown opcnot the top and provided with a threaded the inlet 5 above the outlet and forming with the Walls of the valve-body an annular space 9. Inside of this cylinder f is a piston h, car rying a. tuhe i whioh embraces a tube :5, extending upwind irom the outlet 0 and rovided at the lower end with ports 7c, w 'eh form the communiceti on between the outlet c and the jgteriorof the valve-body. When thcpiston k is in its lowest position, as shown in Big. 1., the tube *5 rests on the base-wall ofthe volve hodii and closes the orts 7c. The upper end oi t c tube '5 is provi ed with ports m, and the tubular guide j is provided at the top" or once art with a smell air-vent n... .The eylim er j is provided with one or-.1nore penin%so so located as to be PiSiLOIl' when in its lowest position; s in Fig. 1 but to be opened when moved into its highest position, V Fi -T2; The cylinder is also provideci with ot or openings 9, located above the piston. g is o'stopninoctfied by the upper side of the pi tgn, win'chjis fiented to strike the cop d Qsjnfi' pfevent'tlie niston rising for enough to "'closethcnfi ogcnin p. As shown, the tube is enlarge et-t e bottom to afford ports of sufficlent area to allow the water of condensation to flow freely to the outlet 0. When the velveis substantially free from water ofoonenstien+i 2. when the level of the were; the encl orthe cyliner V fthe air, stesln incl uncondensed vapors will pass'both down under the cylinder and act on the l'c'wei ieceof the istonnnd also.

up throu h the specs outsi e of'thecylinder cud p or ope i act upon the upp er'fece o the piston. ere

tional View of t 'e vs. ve, showing the some is then a helcnceicvllfircssure acting on the ten, and there be no movement.

and

cap'd. fis snylinder carried by the valvebody a at the' t'opgond extending down below V control the outlet.

tube 6 closcsthe ports k, and the air and uneonilensed vapors will pass through the openings m into the tube i and thence through the air-vent n and tube 1 out through the outlet 1:. The vent n is so small that there will he no apprcdable waste of steam. When,however, water of condensation accumulates in sufiieient volume in the valve to rise above the end of the cylinder, the space within the cylindcr' below the piston will become sealed, and the extraction of the air and vapors through. the ventn will result in the production of a lower pressure on the lower side of the piston. The natural result of this unbalancing the pressure on the piston would be to move the piston in the direction of least pressure; but as the pistonisheld against movement in that direction by the tube "i, which rests on the base-wall of the valvebody, this result cannot take place, and consequcntly the 'Water in the lower art of the valve-bod y will surge forward in tile cylinder and by its impact on the lower side of the piston will push. the piston u ward and open the ports is 'f. The valve is s dwn in this position in Fig. This tube 4., which thus controls the ports it, acts as the valveiece to As the upwar movement of the piston has opened the openings o, the equilibrium ofpressures will be re-- stored, and The water may flow out through the ports Ir, while the piston returns to its first position and the tube 11 again closes the ports k. V V

The action of the water upon the piston is similar to that in a hydraulic ram and is very.

quick and positive, so that the valve .must respond immediately to the accumulation of we tor of condensation. Furthermore, as the opration takes place as soon as the water reaches a level above the bottom of the cylinder f, a small accumulation is sufficient to actuate it.

In the practical operation of the valve under normal conditions it is alternately opening and closing, and no material accumulation-of water is permitted.

The stop g prevents the piston rising hi h enough to close the openings 73, as that won d prevent the" reduction of the equilibrium.

A modifie construction, but one involving the same essential characteristics, is shown in, Fig. 4. In this case the fixed cylinder f, with its ports 0 p, is dispensed with, and instead thereof the motor consists of an inverted bucket 71/, the de ending walls f of which take the place of t e cylinder. This bucket is provided with a tube 11', similar to the tube t of, the other form, having similaro enin s' m below the base of the bucket, and t e to. e i embraces a tube 7', communicating with v the outlet 6 and having arts 7: at the base and an air-vent n at t e top. When the .valve is closed, as in Fig. 4, the end of the tube 11 rests oh the base'of the valve-body eaaiset and closes the ports k In the absence of a material accumulation of water of condensation. air, steam, and uncondensed vapors will pass under the depending wall of the bucket and thence up inside .of the bucket and out three li. the openingsm. and vent :n to the tube j and outlet 0.- As the pressures actin on the op )Ositesides of the bucket are equa tl'iere wlll be no movement. When, however, water of condensation accumulates in suiiicient quantity to seal the lower edge of the bucket, the extraction, of air from the space within the bucketwillmause the surging upward of the water, which by .itsimpact on the base ofthe bucket will lift it alidopan the ports is in the same nsnner as that do scribed in connection with the piston and fixed cylinder construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In this case the tube jactsas a guide for the tube i of the bucket it must he of sullicient diameter to fit the tube i and prevent lateral displacement when the bucket rises. As the movement of the motor is caused by the impact of the volume of water which surges forward in the cylinder or bucket. the valvei odymust be of suiiioieat size relatively to the diameter and len th of the cylinder or bucket to contain a su ilcient quantity of water to provide the required volume of surging liquid to operate the inotor without breakin the water seal. In either construction the wall f or f constitutes a 1notm?-cha1nber adapted to be sealed by an. accu mulation of water of condensation, and in .the motor-chamber thus sealed the dill'erential is produced, which causes the water to surge against the motor and operate it by impact.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by .Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. An automatic valve for steannheatlllg apparatus, consisting of .a valve'hody having an inlet and an outlet, a valve-piece to con trol the outlet, means within the valve-body controlling said valve-piece and. actuated against the pressure in the inlet side of the valve by the impact of water of condensation accumulated in the valvcbody when said valve-piece is closed, and means controlled by the accumulation of water of condensation to create a difi'erential pressure between said water and said means to control the valve-piece, thereby causing said water .to make impact against said means to control the valve-piece,substantially as described.

2. An automatic valve for steamsheating apparatus, consisting of a valve-bodyhaving an inlet and an outlet, a valvepiace to .control said outlet, a motor controlling said valve-piece, and means controlled by .the accumulation of Water of c'ondensationlin the valve-body to create a differential pressure hetween the water and the motor, thereby causing said water to make impact against said motor and. operate it against the pres:

cease:

sure in the inlet side of the valve, substantially as described.

3. An automatic valve for steam-heating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and anoutlet, a valve-piece to control said outlet, a motor controlling said valve-piece, a lpassage connecting one side of the motor wit the outlet beyond the valvepieec, and means to form a water seal is the accumulation of water in the valveody whereby a differential pressure may be oreated between the Water'and that side of the motor connected to the outlet, thereby causing the water to make impact against said motor and operate it against the pressure in the inlet side of the valve, substantially as described.

4. An automatic valve for steam-heating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve-piece to control said outlet, a motor to control said valve-piece, a motor-chamber c on at the bottom and adapted to be scale by an acdifferential cumulation of water of condensation, and a passage connecting said motor-chamber with the outlet beyond the valve-piece, whereby a ressure ma be created in said motor-chamber on the urination of a water seal, thereby causing the water to surge forward into said motor-chamber and operate by im act the motor against the pressure in the in at side of the valve, substantially as described.

5. An automatic valve for stcam-heating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an outlet, 9. valve-piece to con trol said outlet, a motor to oo'ntrol said valvepiece, a motor-chamber o on at the bottom and adapted to be scale by an accumula tion of water of condensation, and a vent whereby a differential pressure may be created in said motor-chamber on the formation of a water seal, thereby causing the water to surge forward into said motorchambcr and operate by impact the motor against the pressure in the inlet side of the valve, substantially as described.

6. An automatic valve for steamdieating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having the pressure prevailing in the inlet side of .the valve, substantially as described I. An automatic valve torsional-beating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an. outlet, an inverted bucket in said valve-body, supported thereb against movement in one direction and a opted to be sealed by an accumulation of water of condensation, a vent arranged to vent the inte; rior of said bucket without venting the space outside of the bucket when said bucket is sealed, and a valve-piece to control the outlet, said valve-piece being controlled by said bucket, substantially as described.

8. An automatic valve for stcam-l1eating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an outlet, a motor in said valvebody, a motor-chamber open at the bottom and adapted to be sealed by an accumulation of water of condensation, a tube carried by said motor and closing the outlet, said tube having. an air-vent from the outlet into the upper part of the motor-chamber, and a guide for said tube carried by the valve-body and consisting of 'a tube having at its lower part ports communicatin with the outlet and controlled by the tu 0 carried by the motor and a vent in its upper art communicating with the interior of sai motor-tube.

9. An automatic valve for steam-heating apparatus, consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an outlet, an inverted bucket in said valve-body, supported thcreb against movement in one direction and a opted to be sealed by an accumulation of water of condensation, an air-passage between the outlet and the interior of said bucket, and a valvepiece, to control the outlet, controlled by said bucket.

10. An automatic valve for steam-lieating apparatus consisting of a valve-body having an inlet and an outlet, a tube extending from said outlet and provided at its lower end with ports communicating with the outlet and at its upper end with a vent, an inverted bucket adapted to be sealed by an accumulation of water of condensation, and a tube carried by said bucket, surrounding said first tube and closing the ports therein, and supporting the bucket against movement in one direction, said tube having an air-vent in itsup or end into the interior of the bucket.

n testimony of which invention I hereunto IIO 

